


About that Letter...

by Arithanas



Category: Les Misérables - Victor Hugo
Genre: Epistolary, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-30
Updated: 2016-09-30
Packaged: 2018-08-18 15:25:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,056
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8166667
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Arithanas/pseuds/Arithanas
Summary: Because one turn to the most intimate when one is upset. In Javert's case, that meant Chabouillet.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [francu](https://archiveofourown.org/users/francu/gifts).



> That same night, Javert wrote a letter. The next morning be posted it himself at the office of M. sur M. It was addressed to Paris, and the superscription ran: _To Monsieur Chabouillet, Secretary of Monsieur le Préfet of Police_. As the affair in the station-house had been bruited about, the post-mistress and some other persons who saw the letter before it was sent off, and who recognized Javert’s handwriting on the cover, thought that he was sending in his resignation. 
> 
> Les Misérables - Book Six, Chapter 1

To the most respectable M. Chabouillet,

I lack the words to express how much it weights in my spirit the protracted absent of communication on my side. Under the light of our most memorable friendship, it is unpardonable to the extreme. I don’t deserve your indulgence, much less your forgiveness.

Nonetheless, since I found myself bereft of any sustaining spirit here in M. sur M. I throw my blurred spirit to your mercy in these lines and confide my inconsequential plights to your superior understanding.

Please forgive the length of this missive, but it has become imperative that I begin from the very inception of this affair.

That man that people called Father Madeleine became M. le Maire of this town some time ago. I excuse myself to put on paper the revulsion I felt when the notice was given. One must respect the dignity of the station even when one states the utmost disapproval of the person holding it.

I have much reason for contempt, but there is more than righteous indignation for Madeleine’s disregard of the law. The reason will become apparent in these lines; I would have forfeit ten years of my life to spare you the sordid details but honesty compels me to offer you a truthful relation of the facts.

You were always gracious enough to warn me it would be my downfall, but whatever will be, it will be.

My shame is sizeable, but against my good sense, I warmed up toward the man when he was no more than the owner of a large factory. It was practical sense, if we were to live in the same place and deal with the same evils; we needed to achieve a modicum of civility. He started with a smile and a nod and I returned his greeting out of respect of his authority. I regret my lapse in sensibility because not much time passed before I found myself at the other side of his table, in his house, answering questions of prying nature.

Things lead to other things. His words were sheer foolishness, but he refrained from insulting my sharpness. I was glad he refrained from steer my outlook about the law, although he made some foible attempts on behalf of humankind.  Madeleine believes every spawn born from a mother’s womb is part of the offspring of God. That notion would be laughable if it weren’t so pitiable.

Madeleine displayed the same candor when he expressed his affection, and I should expose my weakness to you without any gratuitous suffusion: I was lonely. Since I lacked your company and your cordiality, I counted myself fortunate to find another couple of strong arms to keep me well shielded from rough weather.

There is no better shelter than authority which I provided  in this first epoch of our rapport and no other warmth than the infallibility of law; Madeleine was authority and I have watched him close enough to know he obeyed the law with steadfastness, if not with stringency required.

Count me for a ninny. I thought Madeleine would see the light.

Then, some years ago, Fauchelevent had his nasty fall. I witnessed the fall, for I was heading to storehouse, straying from my duty in pursue of a secret tryst.

I’m guilty and I am aware.  

I was talking about that old man and his injury. That sort of things happen, Fauchelevent was fit to the grave. Madeleine refused to let him go to his peaceful rest without a putting a display of unserviceable altruism. I talked to Madeleine, explaining him how preposterous were all his attempts since there was only one man to my knowledge with enough strength in all France to bear that weight and save the man from his demise, but no word from my mouth prevented him to go down on his knees on that unpaved alley and try his damnest to save that old carcass.

I will not dwell on the details of what the image of Madeleine’s body grunting and gathering the power of his loins to raise the broken cart from the mud evoked. You know the baser yearnings of my anatomy first hand and therefore you wouldn’t demand me to bear witness of my own disgrace. You require even less that I proclaim my bewilderment and gratitude when Madeleine exceeds the hardship’s requirements.

The fact Madeleine exhibited the same proficiency that that prisoner in Toulon didn’t hit me until later.

Much later.

That’s one of the reasons I beseech you to find information of Number 24601 going back at least to the last eight years, since we know where it was the previous seventeen. I am in the direst need to dispel the fog of suspicion that had fallen over my brow since…

I am getting ahead of myself. That will give you a sample of the state of my mind while my pen glides over the paper.

At this moment you might be wondering why I should demand report when the fact that should arise suspicion happened so many years ago. The only honest reply I could give you is that I have slacked my duties for a long time, which is indefensible.

Please, in name of our attachment, sir, spare me those indulgent words that were meant to excuse the inexcusable. Refrain from appealing to absurdities and balderdash, I beg you. We both know how little those mean under the light of what’s right and what the Magistrate dictates. Curl your words into a fist and hammer them me with what I really deserve: contempt and disproval.

I was wrong. Believing Madeleine was an error. I was blinded by his warmth, by his understanding nature, by his acceptation. An error, I repeat for has neither respect for the dignity of his position nor any respect for mine.  

You will tolerate that I feel betrayed, for you are the most discerning of men, but I will not. I can only try to set right what once was wrong.

I beseech you to find the information once again. Enclosed it is my formal report and denounce so that this complaint take its legal course through official channels and to stop this man who besmirch such an honorable position as it is being Mayor of M. sur M.

Kissing your hands in humility

J.

**Author's Note:**

> Of course, Fantine's affair developed into a lovers tiff...


End file.
